Club Snapshot: Badgers Against Drunk Driving

There’s nothing quite like students helping fellow students. Whether it be studying together, helping a lost student find their class or, in the case of BADD, helping students make smart decisions when drinking.

This past week, I got a chance to speak with Jack Carver, the Founder and President of Badgers Against Drunk Driving (BADD) to get a greater look into how the club began, the contribution it makes to the Brock community, as well as their goals for the upcoming school year.

“BADD began [in 2014] when I was thinking about how I could give back to future [Brock students],” said Carver. “Since a lot of members in BADD have actually been negatively affected by drunk driving, our purpose is to provide students resources to drink responsibly, while still having fun, and plan their rides home safely.”

The club’s meetings are usually held monthly, but this year the club is changing their organization in order to accommodate the needs of its members and the community. When it comes to new student members, Carver insists that there are plenty of opportunities. Additionally, BADD reserves a certain amount of its executive positions for incoming members, which is rare for clubs at Brock University, which usually hold elections accessible only to upper-year members.

When asked what three words Carver would use to describe BADD, he confidently stated “responsible, preserving and helpful.”

“BADD is Brock’s only student-run, on-campus club providing resources for students to drink responsibly,” said Carver, “I think that Brock does a lot to combat drunk driving, but together we can do more.”

Carver said that a lot of the club’s success wouldn’t be possible without the help of its sponsors and BUSU. “It’s great to have sponsors such as MADD St. Catharines, the Niagara Regional Police and BrockQ Taxi supporting our ideas and future events.”

For this upcoming year, Carver says that BADD has some big plans. They’re hoping to be able to work with local clubs and bars, including Brock’s on-campus bar Isaac’s, in order to promote safe drinking and provide resources against drunk driving. BADD also plans to partner with their sponsors to be able to provide free cab rides around the city for students who are in need. “[The plan] isn’t a hollow promise either, [our club] is in talks now [with stakeholders] discussing how we can make this happen.”

The young adult stage is commonly characterized by poor or impulsive decision-making and that’s why it’s important to have an on-campus club reminding students about real-life dangers that can often times be forgotten in an unclear state of mind.

Carver and all the members of BADD urge students to stay safe and be educated on the dangers of drinking and driving.

If you are interested in becoming a member of BADD, the club can be reached by email -BrockBADD@gmail.com. To stay in touch with BADD, follow their Facebook page (Brock BADD) or follow them on Twitter @BrockBADD.